Let’s Stop JNF Canada and Take Away its Charitable Status: Sign the Petition to the Ministry of Revenue

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Wednesday March 13 2019

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Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) is urging the public to sign a petition to the Minister of National Revenue to have the Jewish National Fund (JNF) stripped of its charitable status with the Canada Revenue Agency. CUPW therefore calls upon its members to sign this petition.

What Is “Independent Jewish Voices”?

Independent Jewish Voices (IJV)), a grassroots organization rooted in Jewish tradition, “opposes all forms of racism and advocates for justice and peace for all in Israel-Palestine.” Among other things, it is against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories.

A Petition that Clearly Explains the Need to Act

The petition is sponsored by NDP MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke) and sets out the nature of the Jewish National Fund and the reasons for IJV’s call:

“Whereas:

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) — whose branch, JNF Canada, is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency — engages in discriminatory practices as its landholdings are chartered for exclusively Jewish ownership, lease, and benefit, as noted by the United Nations, the US State Department, a former attorney general of Israel, and the JNF itself;

Evidence strongly indicates that JNF Canada violates the Income Tax Act, common law, and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) policy guidance CG-002 as it supports a foreign army through the building of roads, training facilities, and other infrastructure that is either entirely or primarily for the benefit of the Israel Defence Forces;

JNF Canada violates Canadian and international law by enabling physical changes within Occupied Territory, thereby helping Israel effectively annex land within Occupied Territory, and in the case of East Jerusalem, deepen control over land already annexed illegally. Notably, the JNF Canada-funded Canada Park was built on the lands of three Palestinian villages destroyed following the 1967 war in direct violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention;

JNF Canada materials depict the Occupied Territory as part of Israel, a representation that runs contrary to Canadian foreign policy and international law.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of National Revenue to revoke JNF Canada’s charitable status if found to be in violation of the Income Tax Act and CRA guidelines and policies.”